58 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



plover family can compare with them in point of beauty. Their form is 

 quite stout and the head is larger compared to the size of the body than 

 that of other plovers. 



Few naturalists have observed the domestic life of this species in 

 America, owing to their extreme range. The same plover is found in 

 Europe and there is known as the Grey Plover. According to Mr. 

 Seebohm, who has made careful observations of their breeding habits, 

 their nests are very difficult to find and it is necessary to watch the birds 

 closely for a long time before they reveal its location. The female 

 seldom takes wing when she approaches the nest and is very cautious, 

 and if she is not entirely satisfied that all is safe, will pass and repass 

 the nest before finally settling upon it. She is very restless and con- 

 tinually moves from one post of observation to another, while the male 

 quietly stands upon the tussock of a ridge and watches her. 



After the old birds have moulted, they, accompanied by their young, 

 leave for the south. The old birds have now lost their beautiful black 

 under parts and look similar to the young. After their summer in the 

 uninhabited north, and their long tiresome flight, both the old and young 

 birds have lost the wariness, and at every feeding place at which they 

 stop, as they pass through the civilized country, they are made the tar- 

 gets of the hunters. These latter consider the plovers only as so much 

 flesh, and at the close of the day's shooting, their score records the fact 

 that they shot so many "Beetleheads" or "Bullheads" as they call them. 



These birds are remarkable travellers, many of them traversing the 

 entire length of the two continents and wintering in southern South 

 America. During March and April they don their black suits again and 

 start on their long journey towards the north. Remembering their fall 

 reception, they are very shy now and are much more difficult to call to 

 the decoys than the Golden plovers. They fly most frequently in small 

 flocks of perhaps six to ten individuals, although occasionally as many 

 as forty are reported. 



Their call note is quite difficult to imitate, which fact, perhaps, partly 

 accounts for their aversion of being decoyed. It consists of a peculiar 

 whistle, and possibly may be expressed by the three syllables "Cl~ee 

 up." Their food consists of marine insects and shells, which they find 

 on the flats left bare by the receding tide, and various beetles, which 

 they obtain in the adjacent meadows. Their flight is very strong and 

 swift. Upon alighting upon the shore they have the same graceful habit 

 as many of the other plovers, that of raising their wings over the back 

 and disclosing the beautiful markings. 



